Mississippi administrator selected as Walker Elementary’s principal

After going more than a year without a principal, Walker Elementary School will welcome Antonio Cooper of the Vicksburg Warren School District in Mississippi as its new top administrator on Aug. 1.

By Jamon SmithStaff Writer

After going more than a year without a principal, Walker Elementary School will welcome Antonio Cooper of the Vicksburg Warren School District in Mississippi as its new top administrator on Aug. 1.“I’m excited about the opportunity to come back home,” Cooper said. “I’m originally from Alabama, born and raised. I’m from Birmingham. I just came out here to Vicksburg to attend college at Alcorn State University. I said I wanted to come back home when I got some experience, and now that I have some experience, I’m coming home to contribute to my people.“I’m very excited about the community up there surrounding Walker Elementary,” he said. “I spoke to a few members of the community, and I’m very excited to be a part of the area. I want to collaborate with the middle and high schools that are in that area, because that makes all three schools stronger, because we’re all servicing the same students. I’m happy to come home.”Cooper replaces Patricia Johnson, who retired in June after serving as principal of Walker Elementary for 13 years. She was also assistant principal there for three years.The Tuscaloosa County Board of Education approved Superintendent Elizabeth Swinford’s recommendation to hire Cooper at its July 18 meeting.Swinford said she worked with Cooper when she was superintendent of the Vicksburg Warren School District. She said she recommended him because he helped turn around a failing school there and that his combination of skills is just what Walker Elementary needs.“I was impressed with him,” Swinford said. “He worked in Vicksburg as assistant principal for instruction of one of our low performing schools. I made him principal of that school — Vicksburg Jr. High School — the following year. He was a big part of our turning around. The school grew 30 percentage points in one year on standardized test scores. That’s very difficult to achieve.“They were under state monitoring and they got out,” she said. “He did a great job and is a great human being. He’s very resourceful and very technology oriented. He’s also very personable and involves the community, teachers and parents. He’s data-driven, but doesn’t forget the human side of things. He knows teachers are people and kids are kids. I think that’s the kind of person Walker is looking for, especially after having a principal for 16 years. They need someone who’s personable.”